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dead son himself tell it. The murderers were slain in conse-quence. Rabbi Isaac returned to Judaism as a great rabbiwith mighty honour.
340( 2). Once upon a time an Aramaean king, ruling inone of the Israelitish cities, said to the Jews, that if they wereable to show the merit and superiority of Moses over Jesus,he would be converted to Judaism; if not, they must allbe killed. He gave them 20 days for consideration. TheJews decreed a fast. On the 17th day, an old man wasseen weeping. Asked for the reason, he said that he knewof a boy in Tiberias named Meir, who could answer theking. If he went to Tiberias he could not get back undersix days which would be too late. However he went toRabbi Meir who bade him be joyful, as he would be withthe king before the morrow. He prayed, and uttered theIneffable Name and the journey was shortened. He arrivedin time and saw the people mourning and told them torejoice, as he would deliver them. On the morrow the sol-diers came to the Beth ha- Midrash to receive the answeror slay the Jews. Rabbi Meir cursed them. They wereabout to smite him when he uttered the Ineffable Name,and their hands while raised, withered. They went to theKing and said they were dying. The king sent for Rabbi Meir,who was given a throne with great honour. Meir calledthe people together and prayed, and a fiery serpent appearedand burnt many of the king's men to death. He conjuredup Jesus whose appearance caused many people to diethrough its evil smell. Then he called Moses who broughtwith him the perfumes of Paradise. Meir then also curedthe king's men and the king confessed the superiority ofMoses and his Law.
341( 3). The daughter of R. Meir, after prayer andfasting, was told in a vision at night that her fate wouldbe seven years of slavery, seven years in a brothel, sevenyear of service in the synagogue and Midrash. Greatlyperturbed, her father having been the greatest Rabbi, andher husband the head of the college, she tried to escape by